Regretful Reminisces
by The Mildly Inspired
Summary: I hate him. I hate him so much, and one day I will get my revenge for making me and my mother suffer. He is no father of mine, and I will make sure he hurts like how he made Iruka kaasan hurt. Kakairu and slight Sasunaru
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

**A/N: **I wrote this when I was feeling particularly depressed at the time and wanted to read an mpreg fic featuring Kakashi and Iruka. I couldn't find any male pregnancy fics (except for Side Effects which is a very good fic and recommend and do not own) so, I decided to write one. It came out pretty somber though. Hopefully despite the shortness of this, people will like it.

Regretful Reminisces  
_Chapter 1: Prologue _

Everything hurt.

It was only suppose to be a simple B-rank mission. Tsunade-sama had received a message from their ally, Subaku no Gaara, the Kazekage of Sand, saying that they have had reports of Sound nins being seen around their country, and headed straight towards Konohagakure.

He and two other chunins were told to check around Konoha's eatern borders. They were to scout around the perimeters and report any signs of Sound nins immediately.

Tsunade-sama expected to find at least a small group of Sound, and told that to Iruka the day of the mission. He certainly didn't expect to meet more than a dozen Sound jounin four hours into the mission.

Sato, a man two years old than him was killed in the ambush, and Kinu later fell when a Sound nin had pierced his chest with his katana. He on the other hand was wounded and taken as prisoner by them and tortured for Konoha information.

That was nearly two weeks ago.

* * *

"He will not come." 

Iruka lifted himself from the bed with trouble. His arms shook and threatened to collapse. The brunette lifted his arms to grip the bed post, and the sleeves of his robe slid down his arm, exposing bruises and dried blood.

"He will come for me!" He gasped out, the pain in his chest made his breath come out in pants. He used his other arm to hold his chest of two broken ribs, which thankfully hadn't pierced his lungs. Even through the pain, he refused to show this traitor any submission, no matter the torture.

His tormenter chuckled, and seemed to have found more amusement in his defiance. "What reason does he have to come here, especially when he thinks you were killed by one of the Akatsuki?" The white haired male pushed his glasses up, which glinted in the bright light of his room. "He's probably chasing after them, rather than coming here to rescue his lover… or his child."

Iruka stiffened and his eyes widened by a margin. The hand cradling his chest went protectively around his abdomen. "How…How did y-you know…"

"That you carry his child?" The man asked, grinning in amusement. Iruka decided he hated that playful grin. "Any trained medic nin is required to notice the symptoms of pregnancy." Gray eyes looked straight at Iruka. "Though, this is the first time I've encountered an impregnated _male._"

"Stay back!" Iruka growled when he saw the white haired man step forward. He winced at how much his body hurt when he moved. The medic took a step back as told and watched as the brunette struggled to mold chakra.

"Those bracelets were specially made to absorb chakra, Iruka-kun." The Sound nin told him. "Any genjutsu or ninjutsu is useless to you now, and I doubt you are in any shape for taijutsu." The nin looked at a part of the long red gash that peeped out from the gray robe. Iruka flushed and narrowed his eyes in a glare. "You and your child are with us now."

Iruka hated how Kabuto's mouth twisted into a smile of fake assurance. He clenched his fists until his nails dug crescents in his palms and his knuckles turn white. Iruka lowered his head so that Kabuto wouldn't see the tears glistening in his eyes.

"He'll come…" Iruka repeated, and glared defiantly at Kabuto. "_Kakashi will come._"

Kabuto frowned. "Believe what you will, but you are with Sound now." Kabuto opened the door of the chamber. "As well as your child."

Iruka froze at this. No... his chibi wouldn't be a ninja here; to be an enemy of Konoha… He faintly registered the sound of the door closing signaling Kabuto's leave.

Iruka felt like a dam inside him had broken, before the tears fell, burning and freezing as it slid along his skin. Already, two weeks here, and he could feel himself slowly breaking.

What could he do? He was powerless here. He couldn't use any jutsus and barely had the energy to walk. He was entirely defenseless. He had been waiting, for anyone— hunters, ANBU, Kakashi… What would happen if…if Kakashi didn't come? What if he abandoned him?

At the thought, Iruka snapped his eyes shut. _Don't be stupid. _He told himself. _Kakashi wouldn't do that! _Still, what could he do here? The torture he endured was harsh, but he refused to give any information of Konoha's working to Orochimaru.

And his chibi… What would happen to his chibi? What would Orochimaru do to his chibi? He knew that Orochimaru was fascinated with unnatural things like these, and surely a pregnant male would be a phenomenal. It was only a matter of time until the snake got his hands on his chibi!

He gave a choked sob at that disgusting truth. Iruka flinched again when he felt a wave of pain pass through his chest and his head pound.

He curled himself on the large bed and wrapped his arms around his unborn chibi.

"Don't worry chibi…he'll come…Kaka-tousan will come…" Iruka murmured, gently rocking back and forth despite the pain, chanting the words like a mantra. Maybe if he said it enough it would come true. His tears soaked the blood stained bed sheets. Why wouldn't they stop?

_Kakashi… You'll be here… won't you? _

Iruka closed his eyes tight. He couldn't be abandoned… not again…

"Kakashi…" _Where are you when I need you? _

* * *

Kabuto was right though, Hatake Kakashi never came.

* * *

Tbc. 

So, I am thinking whether I should continue or not. I'm not very sure where I can take this, but I'll try, if people want me to. The beginning was rushed and I was half asleep when I wrote this. And my apologies again for the shortness of this chapter, but hey, it is a prologue, so sorry, sorry!

The Mildly Inspired


	2. Chapter 2: Mama's Little Boy

**A/N: **Wow, I did not expect that many reviews. I'm amazed and thank you all. I read that a few of you are curious as to how Iruka is even _able _to get pregnant and what the gender of his child is. This chapter will hopefully reveal some answers to questions.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

Regretful Reminisces  
_Chapter 2: Mama's Little Boy _

"_He's beautiful." _

_He smiled lovingly at the little body in his arms and caressed the soft silver patch on top of the newborn's head, moving so that his IV didn't get in the way. "Yes, he is." _

"_He's going to be quite a looker when he grows up." The blonde man's smiled, as he wiped away the sweat glistening on the brunette's forehead. _

"_Just like his father…" Iruka replied and landed a soft kiss upon the baby's brow. _

_The blonde didn't miss that heartrending glint in the new 'mother's' eyes. "Just like his father…" he whispered. _

* * *

The trees rushed past the small figure as he flew through the tree tops to a village up ahead. The figure's eyes were hardened and spoke of no emotion in their gray depths. To all whom were acquainted to him, they would've seen the vast emptiness of a hardened shinobi. Despite his seemingly weak stature, and young age, those who worked with him knew to stay wary around his presence. His anger was quick and sharp, and he spared no pity to enemy shinobi. His status was of a genius jounin and ANBU that's mere glare would've made anyone freeze cold. 

The people of Sound knew to stay away from him. That, and there was the fact he was protected by the kage of their village; Orochimaru-sama, and son of their leader's property.

"…nins were causing a ruckus in that nearby area anyways." Golden eyes like a deadly predator looked at the shinobi standing stiffly in front of him, to the stained bag sitting on his desk. The older man wrinkled his nose in distaste. "You went a little overboard with their heads. I… appreciate the souvenir, though."

"Hn." Sharp grey eyes glared at him below the Sound hitai'ate tied neatly around his messy locks. "Whatever, the mission's complete." The teen gave a stiffly polite bow and disappeared in a cloud of chakra smoke.

Orochimaru, familiar to Wolf's normal curtness, didn't bat an eyelash. He didn't see this as anything new. The boy would always just go straight to his mother.

* * *

"I heard about the mission." A male voice called out, and the teen stopped, inwardly glad that the medic had finally chosen to reveal himself. He hated the feeling of having a fly on the wall. 

"My, I didn't know that was where you placed your pent up aggression. Orochimaru-sama should send you on more missions if the results are that much pleasing."

"What do you want, Kabuto-san?" The teen asked, in a bored tone, without turning around to face the white haired man.

A sandaled foot peeked out from the shadows, followed by the rest of the man's body. Kabuto frowned, and visibly deflated. "Aw… why so cold? And just when I thought you were finally starting to respect me, your dear ol' uncle."

Wolf snorted in disdain.

"What do you want, Kabuto-san?" He repeated, tilting his head back to glare at the smirking nin. Pure annoyance and impatience marred his pale features.

Kabuto merely chuckled, and pushed his glasses up in his usual gesture. "Well, I _do _live here." The medic's playful voice only seemed to annoy the teen even more. "If you want to know, I just came back from checking up on your mother." Kabuto smirked when he sensed the teen tense, and turned fully to face him. Narrowed eyes, low growl, and the dried blood stains coated on his ANBU uniform minus the mask made him a picture of pure deadliness.

"What _experiment_ did _you and Orochimaru_ perform this time?" The teen spat and an aura of malice was directed to the medic when he realized the other white haired nin wasn't going to answer his question.

Kabuto caught the hidden meaning.

_What the hell did you and that bastard do to my mother?_

Wolf only received only a vague wave of a hand, and a sigh of false deject.

"Don't get so worked up. He's just mildly delirious and exhausted. Absolutely nothing to—" Kabuto heaved a sigh as he was cut short when the teen rushed off. Again that day. Why was it that the boy didn't get any mannerism from his mother?

The sound of a door closing echoed through the halls.

"Always the impatient one, aren't you…?" The medic mumbled. His mouth twitched as he remembered a conversation long ago.

"_Orochimaru-sama, are you sure it's wise to allow him to see Iruka-kun all the time?" Kabuto asked, standing beside his master as they both watched the small silhouette of a young boy dressed in silk pajamas (changed from his earlier blood clotted chunin uniform), walk into a well lit room. They both heard the distant sound of a metal door closing before they turned away. _

"_Hm… he'll come to him even if we deny him the right, and besides," Orochimaru's pale lips curled. "It keeps him occupied." _

"…_Are you sure you'd rather use him than Sasuke-kun?" The medic inquired, almost hesitantly. _

_Orochimaru gave the barest of nods. "Yes. The Sharingan is valuable to me, but I cannot just use him yet, especially since his loyalties have been rooted." Orochimaru exhaled, causing his breath to be visible in the crisp cold air. He turned away from Kabuto. "Make sure he's busy and doesn't suspect anything."_

_Kabuto nodded, knowing whom he was referring to. The brat could be damn perceptive, he knew. _

_Orochimaru's clone disappeared, and Kabuto found his gaze returning to the door hiding the mother and son. _

Kabuto's hair swished back and forth as he shook his head and walked down the hall towards Orochimaru's study. He had no time to muse on the boy.

A pair of bright blue eyes had watched the whole exchange, and blinked before they disappeared from their current hiding spot to follow where the lone ANBU had gone.

* * *

Wolf's POV

* * *

Brown eyes. 

Tanned skin.

Long dark hair.

I hate it. I hate how I didn't resemble anything of my mother.

My mother had warm brown eyes that made me feel warm and safe.

I had stormy gray irises that made me feared throughout Sound.

My mother had tanned skin that reminded me of caramel.

I had pale ivory skin like that the color of snow.

My mother had dark brown tresses that were silky to the touch, and fell down to the shoulders.

I had messy silver hair that stuck out in an odd direction, naturally.

I looked so differently than my mother. I loved him though, the man that gave birth to me. He didn't mind that I looked differently than he, yet I honestly did. I never liked looking into a mirror. The shattered one in my room's bathroom was proof of that. Every time I did, my stomach lurched and I swallowed the bile that rose from my throat.

I saw him there every time; the one that condemned my mother and I to this fate.

I saw the photos too, reflecting the image of _him _and my mother. I resembled him so much…my face…my hair…my skin…the color of my eyes…

It took me a while to realize exactly why I had that dark feeling pooling in my mind and very being meant whenever I saw his image.

I wanted to hurt him.

The chamber door opened, and the candles, currently the only form of light of the entire room, flared from the slight wave of cool air.

Long lashes tiredly fluttered open, and the ANBU felt his body finally relax, and a wonderful sense of peace when liquid doe eyes landed on him.

He didn't acknowledge the porcelain mask fall limply from his fingers.

"Iruka-kaasan?"

A reassuring smile answered his plea, and his mother's eyes brightened from their sleepy haze.

"Kazuki …"

* * *

"Okaa-san? Did I wake you up?" Kazuki asked as he settled on the stone floor and pulled down his face mask. He put a hand on Iruka's arm, frowning at how bony it felt. 

The bedroom was large, although it was bare. The only furniture the room consisted of was a small round table, two chairs, and a full sized bed. Kazuki frowned when he smelt a strange scent waft from the connecting bathroom.

"No, I was just taking a little nap." Iruka replied with a small smile. He would've bristled at being called something as feminine as 'kaa-san', but no matter how many times he had tried to persuade his son to not call him that title, Kazuki wouldn't budge of his teasing. Iruka felt a smile tug at his lips. Kazuki was so much like—

He stopped that train of thought.

Iruka tossed his legs over the side of the bed, but stopped when Kazuki gave a startled start, all thoughts of the weird smell out of his mind.

"Agh! What are you doing?! You shouldn't be standing up! If you want to get up, then just sit up! You'll fall and hurt yourself!" He fussed, as his face scrunched in worry and concern, showing a side to him no Sound shinobi had ever seen; absolute mother-hen-ness.

Iruka blinked, amusement sparkling in his eyes. "Kazuki, I'm perfectly fine, just a bit tired is all. Kabuto already gave me a check up."

Kazuki's lip curled, and his eyes examined the frail body in front of him. He saw bandages leak from the white yutaka, but thankfully there was no signs of blood visible, nor did he sense anything wrong with his mother's chakra system.

Ever since his mother had given birth to him, Orochimaru-sama had been intrigued with the brunette. A male pregnancy was physically impossible, and when he learned that there was _unrecognizable chakra _locked inside him…

He took small comfort of the fact that he was almost always away from the village on missions. At least that way, a small part of him didn't have to die at the sounds of Kaa-san's screams.

Kazuki hated himself. Even after all this time, he couldn't do anything about it, no matter how much he tried. Even if he was an ANBU, there was no way a 15-year-old like him could ever beat a sanin like Orochimaru. And there was always Kabuto there too, always watching him like a hawk. No happy memories spurred in his mind when he thought of his unofficial 'uncle' whom had helped his mother while in labor.

There wasn't anyone he could trust in Oto either, except—

Kazuki immediately tensed when he sensed foreign chakra approach the room, and then reached to his kunai pouch when a soft knock on the door. The ANBU jumped up and cautiously went to the door. He could see his mother's amusement die, and snake a hand underneath the pillow. Kazuki noticed golden skinned hand muscles clench, around a hidden weapon he knew, out of the corner of his eyes.

A pang of fear sprung to life as he thought about the visitor outside his mother's room. It couldn't possibly be Orochimaru. From what he heard from the other jounins and ANBUs, the bastard should be in a meeting with Stone discussing some things about treaties and whatnot. Plus, the chakra felt somewhat… _flayed_, so unlike Orochimaru's icy chakra.

But who could it be? Kabuto only came to Iruka-kaasan's room when he was ill, or to treat the injuries left behind by Orochimaru's experiment. Plus, no one dared to come near the compound, as by orders by the Oto's kage.

He opened the door, and felt instant relief fill his system when he was met by a smiling blonde face. Kazuki released a breath he didn't know he was holding and nodded in greeting. "Minato-sensei."

The dead, former Yondaime Hokage grinned widely.

"Hey, Kazuki-kun! Hello, Iruka!"

"Good evening, Minato-sama." Iruka smiled, as his hand unclenched around the kunai from under the pillow. "Please come in."

"Don't mind if I do." Kazuki settled down on the bed as his sensei seated himself on a chair.

"So, what brings you here, sensei?" Kazuki inquired as he took off his ANBU arm and leg armor plate.

Minato shrugged. "Just needed some company. Sound isn't that talkative, you know." He paused.

"Are you alright? Is something wrong?" Iruka asked sincerely.

The blonde gave a small smile. "No, just a little… homesick, you can say."

Iruka and Kazuki nodded, understanding what he meant.

"Oh, and I wanted to congratulate you on completing that mission."

Iruka blinked, and looked at Kazuki questioningly, whom had suddenly twitched. "What mission?"

"Uh— nothing really, just a simple B-rank is all, n-nothing special." Kazuki stuttered, almost to the point of mumbling.

Minato raised an eyebrow. "You give yourself such little credit. You did very well, and your strategy was well thought out."

Kazuki was about to wave it off, but stopped when his mother spoke.

"Yes, Kazuki's getting stronger everyday." Iruka looked at his son, smiling proudly.

Kazuki felt pride bubble in his chest and couldn't help but grin cockily at his mother's sincere expression. That, and the fact that his ego just swelled like a hot air balloon a the praise. "But like I said, it really was nothing special."

Minato smirked, which slowly turned into a full pledged evil grin. "Nothing special, huh?"

Kazuki felt unease settle. "Er, what do you mean, sensei?"

"What's this I hear about the… unexpected parts involved in the mission, hm?"

Kazuki blanched.

Crud, he thought for sure none of his squad saw him use his new jutsu.

Iruka chuckled, amusement in his brown depths. "Oh? What _parts _were there, may I ask?"

Minato answered before his student could, wearing a smirk that should belong to a Cheshire cat. "Well, it so turns out that Kazuki's inherited your pranking streak."

Iruka could help his smile from widening as he looked at his son whom was glaring at the Fourth.

"You've been telling too many stories about Naruto, Iruka! Kazuki's literally taking up after him!" Minato chuckled; dodging when Kazuki suddenly decided he needed a fist in his face.

Iruka just laughed as Kazuki's angrily cried, "Damn you, Yondaime!"

* * *

Fingers played with the soft silver hairs on his child's head propped on his shoulder, as a nostalgic smile came to the mother's lips. 

Minato admired the endearing sight. Kazuki, despite how much he looked like his father, had a bit of Iruka in him too, mostly in his eyes. (_And of course the mother-hen tendecies_, Minato thought fondly,) They displayed much emotion like Iruka's, but was hidden in a sheet of ice to people other than Iruka and him.

But it was nice… nice to see Kazuki so content in Iruka's arms. With the young boy constantly on missions and trying to put up a tough front to, (what Minato observed) protect his mother, it was refreshing to see the normally withdrawn boy so at peace and relaxed.

He knew of Kazuki's dislike of Kakashi, and it saddened him to know that Kakashi was hated by his own son, whom, he didn't even know of.

Konoha was on edge from what little information he knew, and they were low on ninjas since the last sound invasion. Plus, Orochimaru was up to something. The snake had been acting a bit too eager and happier lately for anything in his mind to be at ease.

Minato closed his eyes. When did things get this dire?

The blonde slid an eye open and frowned. He didn't like that look in Iruka's eyes. That look; both distressed and regretful…

_Kushina desperately tried to reach to him as the hands made of shadows clawed him away from her. _

Something stung him from the back of his mind and Minato inwardly smirked as he crushed the little annoyance. So Orochimaru thought he could actually keep him sealed like this? Away from being with his Kushina? Well, the snake had made a sore miscalculation. He was a master at seals, and the kunai in his head was weak enough for him to put a barrier around his mind so he could have self-will whenever the snake wasn't around. The only reason he was still in Sound was to watch over Iruka and Kazuki.

"Minato-sama…" The soft plea brought him out of his train of thought and he glanced at Iruka, whom didn't look at him, but at Kazuki's sleeping head. "Orochimaru… His body transfer jutsu time restriction has already expired."

The former Hokage's artificial body went rigid. Iruka finally pulled his gaze to him, anxiety growing fiercely in those chocolate hues. "I found out today. He's going to use Kazuki's body!"

Minato inhaled sharply. Iruka held Kazuki tightly against his lithe frame.

"We must change the date. I will not let that bastard use my son—my Kazuki! As his fuckin' body!" The brunette choked as he held his son to his body with the silver haired head tucked safely under his chin.

Minato nodded grimly, understanding such emotion from the younger man. He remembered the time when Kazuki was taken away from Iruka. The boy probably didn't remember it though, Kazuki was only two years old at the time.

_The Sound nins guarding the room fell dead with their throats slit as the thin figure held the bloody kunai limply in his hand and tears fell from distant brown eyes._

"_Give him back…" _

Minato didn't want to think about would happen if the event ever repeated itself.

"The soonest date is anywhere this week. The next is too blocked." Minato said quietly and looked directly at Iruka. "I'm ready when you are."

A strange emotion flashed through Iruka's eyes and the Yondaime Hokage instantly knew the answer.

"Tomorrow."

Neither people said anything else until Minato excused himself when he felt Orochimaru's pull push against the barriers of his mind, but unknown to the two, a pair of gray eyes had watched the entire exchange, disappearing out of sight only when the brunette mother glanced out the window.

* * *

Tbc. 

Wow, I'm happy that this chapter was longer than the prologue. At first this was only five pages, but went to a whopping seven. In this chapter, part of the reason why Iruka is pregnant is revealed, but not all of it, like _why_ there's unrecognizable chakra in him. More about that will be revealed soon, I promise. Anyways, please review those who have read my work!

The Mildly Inspired.


	3. Chapter 3: Weakness and Guilt

**A/N: **Thank you all for reviewing! I really did not expect this many reviews, and I appreciate them all. By the way, in the last chapter of the flashback with Kabuto and Orochimaru, Orochimaru said that Sasuke was still in _Konoha. _This is an AU, so Sasuke was taken back to Konoha. (I actually still need him there to progress in the story.)

Okay, here's the deal. This is an edited and revised chapter of the former chapter; Weakness. I've re-read this chapter, and I just figured it out (forgive me for being slow) I made Iruka a total sissy. I am ashamed of myself. So, I've gone over and edited and revised it. I want my kick-ass Iruka back!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

Regretful Reminisces  
_Chapter 3: Weakness and Guilt _

"_Why do you wear a mask, Kazuki-kun?" _

_Kazuki looked up from the ground to him, still panting from their training session. He wiped away a bead of sweat that plastered his hair to his forehead. "Why… (pant) do you ask?" _

_The blonde shrugged, twirling a kunai around his finger. "Curious."_

_Kazuki was silent and his hand came up to touch the black mask hanging from his neck. Minato was about to tell him to forget the question if he didn't want to answer, but Kazuki had spoken before he could open his mouth._

"…_So I don't see it." Kazuki said finally. _

"_Your face?" _

"_No, Hatake-san's." __

* * *

_

"Orochimaru-sama?"

Orochimaru was absolutely _livid_, Kazuki first realized when he and the rest of the squad transported into the kage's office where Oto's kage sat with papers and documents spewed across his desk and sprawled on the floor.

Kazuki and the four other ninjas stood behind their captain, a bulky large man, whom tensed under Orochimaru's intense gaze.

"Ox! I want you and your squad to search the village perimeters! I expect results or it'll be your head!" Orochimaru roared.

A shiver went through the squad at the threat, even if it wasn't directed to them. Kazuki frowned from behind his porcelain mask, mentally calculating in his mind.

"Hai, Otokage-sama!" Ox and the rest of the squad answered before they transported away.

The kage let out a strained breath and reread the reports clutched in his fist.

_How could this have happened? _

From these reports, building on the eastern part of his village had been burned to the ground. The fire had been contained and extinguished before it could spread farther, but the damage had already been done. The warehouses where he kept many of his toys and weapons had been destroyed.

A few of his chunin were found dead at the scene, but the cause of death was not anywhere involved by arson.

Orochimaru's fist clenched until his knuckled turned bone white.

He had only been gone from Sound for less than a day, and when he had come back, someone had invaded Sound, _his village?! _

The room darkened considerably when his angry chakra smothered the fire torches attached to the stone walls. They gave yelping flares before the flames died.

Gold eyes— having almost an eerie glow to them, closed in the darkness of the room.

_How could this have happened? _

* * *

"_An invasion!?" _Iruka yelped. 

Minato wrapped an arm around Iruka's waist when he started to sway on his feet. "Yeah."

Iruka tossed an arm around the blonde's neck, wincing as his legs began to ache.

"Who?"

"That's where it gets complicated." Minato said as he helped Iruka sit on the bed. He sat next to the brunette and sighed tiredly, running a hand through his hair. "Orochimaru doesn't seem to know either, and I couldn't catch even a glimpse of their village symbol. Apparently, whoever they were, they were on a search and destroy mission, 'cause only Orochimaru's warehouses were targeted and burned down."

Minato looked at Iruka apologetically.

"Sound will be on high alert, as of Orochimaru's orders."

Iruka tensed, a sinking feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. If the village was going to be on alert then…

"Then… what about the plan…?"

"I'm afraid any chance of escape from here is nearly impossible for a while." Minato stated quietly, breaking eye contact. He didn't want to see the other's reaction to the news.

Tan hands fisted in the bed sheets and Iruka chewed on his lip. His heart pounded against his chest frantically. Why did he feel like he was suffocating?! "But—But…"

_But Kazuki… What about him? What am I going to do? _

"Iruka?"

Tears stared to gather in his eyes, but Iruka refused to let them fall, blinking them away. He was an adult here, damnit! He was supposed to be the responsible one and find the answers to problems. Crying wasn't going to help.

_Honestly, how weak are you?! _Iruka scolded himself, and he hated himself suddenly. He hated how weak he was in this village. He hated how he could do nothing to ease his son's suffering here in this hell hole. He even hadn't been able to stop Orochimaru from destroying his little one's chance at a normal life! Kazuki's couldn't live like everyone else thanks to that snake!

"Iruka!"

His little four year old wasn't four anymore, but a tall, mature 15 year old. Who could live normally when their aging system was altered in such ways like that?

And now… now he couldn't even stop Orochimaru from taking his son's body.

"What am I going to do?" Iruka asked himself again, his eyes were wide. "WhatamIgoingtodo?WhatamIgoingtod—?" he rambled anxiously.

"_IRUKA!"_

Iruka gasped as he felt hands grab his shoulders and shake him none too gently. The glossy look in his eyes disappeared and he saw the Yondaime above him, worry etched on his face.

_He looks so much like Naruto…_

The mere thought of his sort-of son, whom was at Konoha, made him feel as if a kunai was being raked across his heart.

"I want to go home, Minato-sama." Iruka whispered, looking up at the man, unshed tears shining in his gentle brown pools. Oh god, why was everything suddenly falling apart?

"I w-want Kazuki and you and m-me to go home, Minato-sama." Iruka stubbornly wiped away the tears and took a few shuddering breaths.

Blue eyes softened, and the dead Hokage wrapped the brunette in a tender embrace, an offering of comfort. "I know. I know…"

It wasn't a long time they were like that. It was only minutes later did Minato tense and his eyes glaze over.

Iruka didn't like that somber look in the normally warm eyes.

"Orochimaru will come." Minato said and swiftly got up from the bed.

Iruka said nothing; instead, he pulled his legs to his chest. Tired resignation settled into his eyes as he looked at the blonde. "Good bye, Minato-sama. Thank you for visiting."

"Be careful." Minato warned, guilt riding into his mind as he again, knew what was going to happen to Iruka once he left the room.

Iruka gave a feeble nod, and his head nestled on his knees.

Minato gave one unsure look over his shoulder, before he disappeared in a yellow flash, leaving the dolphin to his fate with the snake.

* * *

"Hello, little dolphin." 

The glass slipped from his fingers, shattering into pieces on the floor and water pooling at his feet. Iruka felt his skin crawl and his breath leave him when he felt cold arms wrap around his waist. When had he gotten here? He hadn't even heard the door open

"Orchimaru." Iruka bit out, and mentally praised himself for not allowing any fear to enter his voice. The dolphin's breath hitched when Orochimaru whispered into his ear, lust evident in his tone.

"Iru-kun…" Orochimaru leered as he gently stroked Iruka's face with his free hand. He honestly did admire the little dolphin's effeminate features. There was something about the chunin that was absolutely addictive. He was pretty, too— Orochimaru loved the way the younger man's body shuddered and convulsed on his experiment table.

Orochimaru dragged his tongue across the tan skin.

Sudden coldness against his neck. Furious brown eyes trained upon his surprised gold.

"Don't. Touch. Me." Iruka hissed out, accenting each word with pressure against the sanin's throat with a kunai. Iruka's eyes narrowed into dangerous slits, as he felt the steel of another kunai lay flat against the back of his neck.

The guy was a damn sanin, but to hell if he was going to just be passive.

"Don't resist." Orochimaru growled in the dolphin's ear. He was pleased by the shiver he got from the smaller frame. A pale hand stopped right on the small of Iruka's back. "Or, would you rather have _Kazuki-kun _take your place in my lab _again?"_

Iruka stilled.

"Would you rather have that, I-ru-ka-kun?" Orochimaru sounded his names in syllables. The kunai in Orochimaru's hand dug into tan skin just enough to draw blood.

The ghostly whisper chilled Iruka, feeling as cold as the metal operating table chilling his skin just a few hours prior.

The ebony haired man decided he liked that look of spite with a ring of desperation in the dolphin's eyes. "Well?" He purred.

_Fuckin' bastard..._

Iruka bit his lip, before he decreased the pressure of his kunai, and let it fall limply to the ground. Orochimaru's arms tightened around his waist and turned him around so that he was pressed flush against the snake's body.

Orochimaru smirked in satisfaction at the younger man's submission and lifted the trembling dolphin's chin up with his thumb and index finger, before claiming those rosy red lips again. Orochimaru nibbled the other's bottom lip, and Iruka obediently gave entry, shaking in disgust.

Orochimaru gently kissed away the stray tears threading down Iruka's cheeks. Iruka's hands fisted and stiffened as his clothes were shed piece by piece.

_Fuckin' bastard…_

* * *

Kazuki yawned, stretching his sore joints before sighing tiredly. 

All day, he and his other ANBU team mates had been running around Sound for hours on end, searching for, well… _anything _suspicious looking. And all they had come up with was utter crap.

Overall, the day was tiring, boring, and a complete waste of time. And he was tired, annoyed, and irritated.

_Really, Orochimaru _expects _the intruders to actually _stay _anywhere near a village which they had just raided? _Kazuki questioned cynically._ What kind of idiot does that? _

Kazuki sighed again for the _n_th time. He was just in a bad mood. All he wanted to do was be with his mom, eat, sleep, and repeat. It was lazy, but hey, was that so much to ask?

The silver haired nin felt a part of his bad mood lift when he drew nearer to his mom's room. His lifting mood however came crashing down when he opened the door and a horrid reek assaulted his senses.

Articles of clothing— a familiar cream yutaka, or what was left of it, littered the floor, and Kazuki's blood ran cold when he saw the bed matted with blood and semen.

_What the—! _

Kazuki staggered back. Even his face mask couldn't help block out the disgusting thick stench of blood and sex that made him so much want to empty his stomach.

Kazuki stepped back, careful to avoid the glass pieces of a cup, and nearly jumped when he stepped on something. He lifted his foot from the puddle of water and followed the trail with his eyes which, from what he could see, came from the bathroom. Kazuki turned around and behind him, leading out of the room to the hallway were watery (thank god,) footprints.

_Why didn't I notice those there?! _

Kazuki felt a lump grow in his throat when he realized those were Iruka-kaasan's footprints. Fear swelled in his chest as he propelled himself down the halls, paying no attention to anything around, but only to the faded prints.

_Oh god, where the hell—_

Kazuki's feet hurdled to a stop when he saw a glimpse of yellow.

"Sensei! I can't find Iruka-kaasan! His room— something happened in there and I can't find him!"

The blonde didn't say anything; rather, he looked like some kind of rag doll, as he leaned against the wall. His head was tipped forward, bangs hiding his vibrant blue eyes.

"Sensei! Don't you understand!? Kaa-san's not THERE! What if Orochimaru took him!? Sensei? Sensei!?

Kazuki tensed, unnerved. Why did sensei look so… defeated?

"Sensei?"

Almost weakly, the man gestured to the door further down the hall with a slight tilt of his head.

Kazuki caught the silent message.

_He's in your room._

_FUCK! _Kazuki wasted no time to jutsu outside the door.

Kazuki never slept in his room, even when he was in the village after a mission. He always stayed in _that _room; his mother's room. It was a sanctuary because it had _that _feeling in it. It gave a feel of… home, that wasn't found anywhere else.

But what could've made Iruka-kaa-san leave that sanctuary?

Kazuki wrenched the door open.

The bedroom was quite similar to his mother's and his sensei's rooms. The room only consisted of necessary furniture, but the only difference was that a rack of scrolls, standing in the corner. The scrolls were filled with jutsus, and most were dusty from lack of use and cleaning.

Kazuki anxiously scanned the room, and landed on the figure lying slumped on his bed.

_Kaa-san! _

Kazuki ran to him and gasped at the red marks over his mother's skin. Why did his skin look so red? He shook him gently, as if any harder would break his mother. "Kaa-san! Please wake up, Kaa-san!"

Iruka's breath came out in soft gasps. A troubled expression settled in his face as he slept and Kazuki noticed that his hair was still damp, from a shower, he suspected. That explained the water and pink skin. He had probably scrubbed his skin raw with hot water.

Kazuki held his breath when his mother's eyelids trembled, and slowly opened. Dazed brown eyes focused and gazed at him, before a small weary smile spread across the tanned face.

"K-Kaa-san?"

Iruka frowned, and spoke in a soft, raspy voice. "Why are you crying, Kazu-kun?"

"I-Iruka-kaa-san…!" Kazuki grew panicked. Why did his mother look so frail? Why couldn't he see anything but pain in those brown depths? Where had all the joy and liveliness gone? "Y-you…"

His mother frowned, and a hand coming up to tuck a strand of hair behind his ear. "Kazuki? Am I making you cry? Did Kaa-san make you cry?"

Kazuki vigorously shook his head, when he saw his mother tearing. "No, no, no, kaa-san! See? I'm not crying, so don't cry, 'kay? Okay?"

_I don't ever want to see you cry._

"K-Kaa-san? Your room— what… why did it smell like _that? _Did you—" Kazuki hoped—no prayed, that it wasn't what he thought happened. "Please Kaa-san— were you...— you _weren't_…" He couldn't even bring himself to say it.

_He knows… _And just like that, something in Iruka broke. That small flame inside him that kept him going through everything was being put out, and everything felt so… hopeless. He felt like he was being crushed under pressure and his throat clogged. He was _suffocating._

"I'm sorry, Kazuki… I'm sorry…" Iruka whispered. The dam was breaking, and he couldn't stop it from flowing.

Kazuki could do nothing but hold him as his mother cried and sobbed in shame and anguish.

"I-I'm sorry, Kaz-zuki. Don't h-hate me 'cuz I'm d-dirty… I don't w-wanna be alone anymore_…_"

And as Iruka repeated everything like a broken record, another little part of Kazuki died as he watched his mother break, but this time, he felt numb. The only thing he could do was hold him. What else was there?

* * *

"…Was that the first time that happened, kaa-san?" Kazuki asked when Iruka was puffy eyed and sniffing. His question came out muffled as his head rested on top of his mother's head. 

"No…" Iruka answered softly as his eyes closed tiredly. "It wasn't the first time."

"W-Wha? But—But when did that bastard—?" How had he ever not noticed? Kazuki always had that bleak suspicion that his mother was being used when he smelled that strange scent the day before, but there wasn't any solid evidence or clues whatsoever. Kazuki searched his mind for any time when he was ever gone to not notice—

"You're always gone on missions, you know… I don't get to see you much 'nymore."

The silver haired teen drowned in guilt, and he found it hard to breathe to hear that soft, forlorn, voice.

_Oh Kami… all that time I was gone on missions— Orochimaru…h-he…!? _

"Please don't hate me, Kazuki… I'm sorry." Iruka whispered brokenly, burying his face into Kazuki's chest. "'m sorry…"

Kazuki started. "Wha-?"

"I'm sorry I'm dirty…" Iruka dug his nails into Kazuki's shirt. "I'm s-so sorry for being weak… 'm sorry for not being a-able to p-protect you… I'm sorry." The last part came out as a whisper filled with so much self loathing and helplessness. "He's going to use you as his body a-and I-I can't stop h-him." Iruka's shoulders shook. "I c-can't protect you. I can't protect you…my little one…"

Kazuki felt the tears soak his shirt. The teen didn't say anything, instead opting to sooth his parent with soothing circular stokes on his back.

How sardonic. Instead of the parent soothing his crying child, the child was soothing his weeping, lost parent.

"I'm s-sorry, Kazuki…" Iruka choked. "'m so fuckin' _weak!" _

"Okaa-san…" He whispered, and buried his head in the junction between his mother's neck and shoulder. "Don't be sorry."

_I am. It's my fault. _

"M-Minato-sama and I planned… to take us away… but I-it's too late now… all too late…" Iruka mumbled drowsily. "Everything going wrong… just wrong… damn Orochimaru, damn invasion."

Kazuki furrowed his eyebrows. "Hm? Take us where?"

Iruka smiled a cheerless smile, and his voice took on a tone of longing. "Far away from here…warm, safe…home…" Iruka sighed. "

_To where? Konoha, where dear ol' dad is? _Kazuki frowned.

"'m so tired…" Iruka sighed.

And Kazuki let him sleep.

Kazuki carefully slid out of the room once he was sure the brunette was asleep. His hands fisted.

"Damn it…"

Then, all that pent up emotion he'd kept inside seemed to finally release. The anger at himself for letting his parent suffer, the anger at Orochimaru for his sick deeds, and just the image of his mother crying or in pain was sending him over the edge. His chest rose and fell furiously as his eyes took on a furious glint.

_I promised myself that I'd protect him. I promised myself I'd not let anything happen! _

Sneering faces rushed through his mind, cruelly taunting him.

"Damn it, _damn it_, _DAMN IT!_" Kazuki screamed.

His fist met the wall.

The wall cracked and left an imprint.

The skin of his knuckles bled, but he didn't care.

After a minute standing there, he composed himself and breathed in deeply. His chakra smoothed from its chaotic pattern.

"Feel better?"

Kazuki started and twisted around.

"…Sensei?"

The hidden chakra source revealed itself as Minato stepped out of the shadows.

"You knew?" Kazuki asked. "About everything?"

A nod.

"I see… and you didn't tell me because…?"

He was rather affronted to only get a knowing look and a raise of shoulders. He could so keep a secret!

Minato chuckled at the indignation shown so clearly upon Kazuki's face. Even Kazuki managed to crack a grin. It was the only thing they could do to get their minds off bad subjects.

"Fine. And the escape plan…?"

"Not going to work with the tight security Orochimaru has in place." Minato spoke.

The silver haired nin snorted, running a hand through his hair in a annoyed gesture. How troublesome. "Figures."

"However…"

Kazuki caught the scroll tossed at him and furrowed his eyebrows at the messily scrawled kanji. "Plan B?"

"I'm not the Yondaime Hokage for nothing, you know." Minato chuckled, wryly.

Curious, Kazuki unrolled the school, and eyes widened as he read its contents. "You… can we _really…?_"

_And where—no, _how_ the hell did you get explosives? _

Konoha's Yellow Flash gave a smirk to the likeness of a fox, and Kazuki suddenly realized _this _was how the guy ever became Hokage in the first place. He was just freaking _sneaky. _"I do say, we can use this invasion to our advantage." The smirk only seemed to get more pleased. "As the people in the movies say, 'I'm bustin' us out.'"

* * *

Tbc. 

Well, I think it turned out a bit better. Now onto Escape from Reality...

The Mildly Inspired


	4. Chapter 4: Enter Team 7

**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews! Some important news: updates are going to slow down a bit now since my free time is being thinned out. The reason? Finals. Damn, damn finals… I'm gonna diiiiiieeeeee… -wails-

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or any of the characters.

Regretful Reminisces  
_Chapter 4: Enter Team 7_

_The eyebrow twitched. "As I was SAYING…" _

_The three jounins instantly quieted their bickering when they heard the serious and ticked off tone of the Godaime. She regarded them silently before throwing a scroll to them with a tired sigh. _

_The pink haired medic caught the mission scroll and frowned when she saw the rank. "S-rank?" _

"_Alright!" Naruto eagerly took the scroll from her with a big grin on his facer. Finally! A high level mission! It had been weeks since they've gotten any action. However, the scroll was snatched out of his hand by the other boy._

_The blonde scowled angrily. "Teme! Gimme that back!" _

_Sasuke ignored him and as he unrolled it, he frowned at its contents and imprinted rank. "Search and destroy? Isn't that normally A-ranked?"_

"_It would be, but under the circumstances, the ranking fits. You three are to infiltrate Sound and destroy the Otokage's warehouses." Tsunade heard group's sharp intake. _

"_Sound?! B-But Tsunade-sama, are you sure we can—" Sakura stuttered. _

"_I trust your abilities… and as loathed as I admit it, we are low on ninjas as it is to take on missions. Besides all the other jounins are all busy." The Hokage perched her head on her palm with her elbow on the desk. "Leave no evidence or witnesses, understand?" _

"_Hai, Hokage-sama!" _

"_Sure, Obaa-!" _

_Smack! _

"_Ow! Sakura-chan!" _

"_Don't talk that way to Tsunade-sama!" _

"…_And be discreet, would you?" Tsunade added with a tired sigh, more to Naruto than anyone else. _

* * *

"She said, discreet, idiot! Not '_I'm-right-here-kill-me-now!' _apparent!Good god Naruto! I have no idea how you ever became jounin!" Sakura hissed at the blonde as they finally, _finally, _escaped the Sound village walls. It was a day since they completed the mission orders, and because of the ruckus caused by their actions, they had hid in an abandoned building on the outreach of Sound. During that time, she had treated Sasuke's and Naruto's injuries which thankfully weren't serious. They had escaped once everything had quieted and the Sound ninjas had their attention to the warehouses at the other side of the village. 

"We can't afford your recklessness, dobe." Sasuke muttered as his friend rubbed his neck sheepishly.

"What?! I was trying to get the hell away from there as fast as I could!" Naruto defended.

"With a rasengan?! _Through each building?!_" Sakura smacked Naruto's head, eliciting a sharp, 'Ow!'.

"Jeez, Sakura-chan. That _hurts!_" Naruto said. Of course it hurt, what, with the monstrous strength the other teen—no, adult (they were 18 now, legal adults!) developed from the 'Great Bosomed Hokage'. "But I had to anyways, the guy chasing me was _fast!_ I could've sworn the guy was using the Thunder—"

A loud noise interrupted the blonde, followed by the earth shaking violently.

"What the—" Naruto lost his footing on the branch and held onto a tree for support. His eyes went to the direction of the village, and he gasped at what he saw.

The ground and trees shook again from the multiple explosions that suddenly engulfed a good part of the village which they had previously hid in.

"Naruto, Sakura! Did any one of you—?!" Sasuke cringed as another earsplitting 'boom' echoed.

"No!" Sakura and Naruto replied to Sasuke's incomplete question.

"Damn! What the hell is happening over there?!" Naruto screamed over the loud series of explosions and screams from the village.

Sasuke grit his teeth. This wasn't part of the mission references. They had already fulfilled their part. Was this some sort of consequence for destroying the warehouses?

_What the hell is going on?_

* * *

5… 

"_Minato-sama…where can we go?" _

Minato waited patiently for Kazuki and Iruka in the shadows, senses fully alert for anything that might disrupt their plan. According to his calculations, Kazuki and Iruka should be nearing his location soon.

4…

"_Kira is a small village a few leagues from here. It's free of Sound shinobi." _

The tree leaves ruffled slightly. Blue eyes flickered over to the newest arrivals and a frown tugged on the Yondaime's lips. Iruka was dressed in a Sound chunin uniform, complete with a weapon's pouch, but his chakra, from what he could sense, was not as stable as he'd like it to be tonight. Iruka must have been just back from one of Orochimaru's sessions.

3…

"_I have a good friend there who can help you." _

"_Who?" _

"You guys ready?"

"_You'll see."_

Iruka nodded, and Kazuki smirked with almost feral anticipation.

2…

"_We'll have to make our getaway as discreet as possible, too."_

The three disappeared, and hopped over the rooftops in a direction to the eastern part of Oto.

1…

"…_So do me a favor, and be discreet, would you Kazuki-kun?." _

"_I don't know what your talking about." _

"…"

"…_Naruto stories have become a bad influence, Iruka." _

"Time." Minato murmured.

The earth shook at one, then two, and then the remaining three explosions, as buildings in the western district of Oto trembled and collapsed, swallowed by the mass fires.

"I think we went a little overboard with the explosive notes." Iruka panted as he struggled to keep up with his son and the former Hokage. Thankfully, the bracelets were off him, but not using chakra for so long had truly weakened him. How the bounds were released remained a mystery to Kazuki and Minato, seeing as Iruka refused to give any explanation.

Whether or not Kazuki or Minato noticed Iruka's trouble keeping up, neither said anything about it, but discreetly slowed their pace.

They all felt a weight lift off their shoulders once they passed over the village walls, which were strangely empty of patrols.

"Hm, I didn't think seven would make that much damage." Minato muttered, taking a quick glance behind at the fires that were engulfing a good part of the village.

"Those aren't Konoha or Sound brand." Kazuki inwardly grinned. _Burn baby, burn!_ "I managed to grab some supplies. Kaa-san says he used to make them when he was a genin."

"Oh?" Minato glanced at Iruka curiously. Back before the Kyuubi attack, he remembered there being several random explosions in the Forest of Death.

Iruka flushed. "I liked explosives, back then. A lot."

Well, that explained a lot.

"There they are!" A male voice called behind them, accompanied by chakra signatures. "Remember Orochimaru-sama wants them back _alive_!"

Kazuki inwardly groaned. Nothing could go the way he wanted it to, could they? Hadn't their lives been through enough crap?! He recognized the chakras as around jounin level; ANBU at most. With the pace they were going and the amount of ground they were rapidly loosing…

Minato, Iruka, and Kazuki drew their weapons.

_If it's a fight they want, it's a fight they get. _Kazuki sharply turned around and the shurikans flew from his hand.

* * *

"Sasuke, Sakura." 

Sasuke frowned when he looked and saw the frown etched on the blonde's face.

"What?"

"Do you feel that?" Naruto asked quietly.

Sasuke frowned. "You mean the three chakra signatures ahead of us?"

Sakura concentrated and looked at Naruto. "The signatures are fighting with many others. But… there's something strange about those three."

Naruto and Sasuke listened closely. They knew that Sakura, out of the two of them, was better at describing chakra. She was a medic after all, and was trained in that area well.

"One of them feels… bland, so to say. And thread-like." Sakura described. Her wide forehead crinkled. "And the second one feels…"

"…Like your chakra, Sasuke." Naruto summarized, staring at the Uchiha.

Sasuke frowned. "How can that be?" Similar to him? What was that supposed to mean?

_But that's not what I'm worried about… Why is that third signature so familiar? _Naruto racked his brain in vain.

Without another word to his teammates, Naruto leapt off towards where the signatures mingled. He heard Sakura and Sasuke yell for him, but ignored them. There was just something achingly _familiar _about that single signature, and he had to figure out why. What was it about that signature that made him feel… relieved? Happy?

"Naruto, you idiot, what are you doing?!" Sakura shouted, as she and Sasuke jumped after the blonde.

"Naruto!"

"Don't you think it's kinda strange?!" Naruto panted when Sasuke and Sakura were shoulder to shoulder with him. "That third chakra signature! There's something about it! And I know I know it from somewhere before! In Konoha!"

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "But it's from Sound! How could you possibly—"

"Hush up, Sakura." Sasuke snapped, and the girl silenced. He slowed his pace a bit.

Sakura first furrowed her eyebrows as he softly spoke into her ear, but then paled when _his _name was mentioned.

"Don't joke around about that, Sasuke-kun! _He's _dead! It's impossible for him to be alive! And after this long?!" Sakura rebuked lowly so Naruto didn't overhear.

The raven haired jounin stared at Naruto's orange clad back silently. "You know and I know, Sakura. The signature is the same, what more can you argue?"

Sakura looked at Sasuke for a moment doubtfully, before staring worriedly at Naruto. It couldn't possibly be him. He'd been dead for five years. Such false hope was cruel, for Naruto still hadn't gotten over _his _death after all these years.

Just like Kakashi-sensei.

* * *

Iruka panted, frantically trying to hold off the nins with the few weapons he had. There were simply too much for them to handle. He slit one ninja's jugular vein and deflected a series of shurikans coming from another. With a grunt, Iruka pounded the jounin with a roundhouse kick with chakra enhanced strength, sending him into a tree. He sighed in relief when finally, _finally _the last ninja fell. 

"Sensei!"

Iruka whipped his head towards the cry and immediately ran over to Kazuki whom was kneeling in front of the Yondaime's shaking form.

"Minato-sama!" Iruka checked the blonde's body for any injuries, but found none that were life threatening. A few scratches and a bloody lip did no harm. But the Hokage looked in pain. What was wrong with him!? "Minato-sama!"

"So, I guess its t-time, eh?" A bead of sweat rolled down Minato's temple and he grinned grimly. _I'm obsolete to you now, ne, Orochimaru? _"I'm finally going back…"

"Time? What does he mean by that?!" Kazuki looked desperately at his mother. "He's not dying, is he?!

"He was already dead, Kazu'. He's going back to death." Iruka spoke quietly.

Wide gray eyes shot into strained blue.

"Sensei! No! You're… you can't go back! Not now!" Kazuki clutched Minato's arm desperately. Not now. He couldn't leave yet! Sensei couldn't leave them now! Not when they needed him!

He helped them. He had been there for him and Kaa-san ever since he was born. Sensei comforted him when Kaa-san was away. Sensei held him when he cried. Sensei… Sensei treated him like a son, even though Kazuki knew he could never replace his real son.

And… Sensei was family. The father he wished he had.

"You promised you'd help us! You can't go!"

A hand landed on his shoulder, and Kazuki looked at his parent, shaking his head in denial. Tears sparkled in the corners of his eyes. "He can't go…"

Iruka didn't know how to reply and as he stared at the Hokage's fading form, a familiar, yet alien pang hitting his heart.

"Kazuki. I'm sorry." The boy looked at the blonde pleadingly to stay if only for a little longer, and Minato couldn't help but grin humorlessly. He reacted so much like Kakashi had when he left to seal Kyuubi. "I'm proud of who you've become. And I hope… that you'd forgive him one day."

"Yondaime-sama… thank you for everything." Iruka whispered, eyes shining sincerely and sadly.

Minato nodded, and slowly, the life faded from his eyes. His body started to decompose rapidly until there was nothing left.

"Sensei! Sensei! Damnit sensei!" His sensei's arm slipped through his fingers like dust no matter how many times he tried to hold onto him. "Sensei!" Kazuki wailed and let his tears fall. Warm arms drew him into a tender embrace. Cinnamon mixed with life and metallic blood filled his senses as he breathed in his parent's lulling scent.

Iruka tenderly cradled his child, and stroked back the messy silver hair until the sobs subsided.

There was nothing but the silence of the forest left by then.

* * *

Tbc. 

Finally, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura are on the scene. I'm working on my fight scenes, so sorry if it sucks. Please review!

And by the way, just for curiosity's sake, what the hell's a gay-dar?


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